Gmc28

Fun banter! An ‘04 DS would be great, because even if track days become too hard to reliably make (which has been the norm in my life.... I need something like a ski area season pass, where u show up when u can), it’s still a beautiful machine to have. I doubt I’d ruin it, and if I did, another Ds can be had if needed. Sounds slightly sacrilegious, but we know it’s true. if i got serious with track riding, which is unlikely with my work schedule, I’d be more serious about an 848.😎. Hopefully it doesn’t come to that :->

Yikes. I had just used some deep breathing techniques to get myself to relax and take my time, then u screw things up by showing me that DS! :-> hmmm.... Now, if you were willing to eyeball it for a poor fellow stuck in the rain, at work, up in the NW, that could push me over the edge (the purchasing edge...)

I’ve found euro and Japanese bike parts to be similar enough in pricing... both outrageous. At least in my experience in the last decade: Yamaha WR450R, Suzuki DR350. But availability is the other thing u mention, which is true, and also applies to after market. My old DR was a fun project, largely aided by the availability of many great after market options and/or upgrades. Euro bikes have after market stuff, but just seems less, at least in the category i’m eye-balling. But Phil has me noodling the Aprilia. Nifty enough to enjoy working on it and riding it on road now and then, capable enough for the occasional track day. Then, if I end up doing a lot more track time, i’ll Have developed a better feel for what I’d really want. And i don’t, i’ll Have had a fun run with an Aprilia, at little expense (if I get something like what I’ve found so far on line, with some low side damage).

Mmmm, MV.... beautiful machines. Evil food food for thought. what of the Aprilia Tuono? More bike than needed, but a guy has one that was laid down and looks ok but sales price is in the attractive range because of it.

Good thoughts kelly, and more or less what I’m thinking. Scud, the triumph idea is a great one. And I’ve looked for an excuse for years to have an Agusta, but it’s mostly my lower brain stem yearning for it.... and I may give in. As mentioned, I’m not looking to “win”, but just to be good enough to have some fun. Some friends are regular track guys, and despite the allure that just won’t be me. Just want carve some nice turns. The wife had a multi 620 when those first came out. It was a hoot. Too much front end dive with that tall suspension, but incredibly quick, to where I could comfortably average higher speeds through well known twisties in my area than I could on my larger/more powerful ST4. Speedo error as a possible factor, I would clearly hold higher speeds through turns on the 620 than on the st4. I always assumed that extra height and front end dive would make it not-so-great on the track, but I see how quick those super Motos go through turns and it makes me wonder.

i've read, but don't know, that its as you all say, that the only way to make money in the biz is through parts and service, since the margin on the machines is low. thats how it was decades ago when i spent a little time in "recreational retail", and is what i read is the case now. but with the new machines depreciating so fast the group of buyers gets smaller and smaller. its just those who have the cash to get what they want, when they want it. nothing wrong with that, as our recreational past-times aren't usually intended to be profitable, but its a smaller group that can afford to do that. if thats all the case, then i guess the $120/hr shop rate starts to make sense, at least from a shop owners perspective. but as a customer, i find it crazy to pay that shop rate, especially when here where i work the shop rate for a multi-layered (with inspectors and signficant shop infrastructure/equipment/tooling/experience) turbine aircraft A&P (mechanic) is down around $90/hr. I enjoy the winter time wrenching on my machines, but if i didn't it would definitely effect my buying decision process. In fairness to my local Duc shop, they generally do good work, and much as i whine about the price, them doing good work and standing behind it makes it just palatable enough for when i bring them a machine for some work now and then (i've mostly done my own "desmo service" on the older and/or air cooled machines, but the newer water cooled desmo-quattro's are a real pain...so i pay for the valve work, and since they're in there to get at the valves, its not that much more to add on the few other things that are now readily accessible). All that is to say that you'd think a little shop could stay in biz charging a lower shop rate, since the dealer retail rate is so high. maybe they sell some used bikes on the side to both make a little money and to draw in the tire-kickers (so they then end up buying something smaller but with a decent margin). but i don't know of many (any?) smaller shops that are around or successful. Seemed like LT in Florida had a huge Duc following, but i don't know if he makes good enough money or not with that whole enterprise. For the older machines, its these great groups that help make them affordable and fun! sure is easier and more enjoyable working on the V11 (or the air cooled ducs) than it is that damn Multi Enduro.... takes way too long just to remove all the poorly designed body work. italian, but with an evil modern twist :->

Thx for the parts check docc. That’s what i found too this morning. dave - i’m Just down the road from you... north plains. The MG shop there near PDX didn’t answer or return my calls for several weeks, when i left messages for the parts people. Then the google thing just came up as well, so figured it was curtains. But if they’re still open, trying to deliver all those V85’s they say they sold before they call it quits, maybe i’ll get my $15 part yet.

Ya, the Japanese 600 was the original plan. But there’s a decent chance i won’t get to go much, so am looking to see if there’s a bike that would do fine at the track, but also be something i’d Not mind pulling out on a sunny sunday now and then if it doesn’t get its blood (oil) pumping on a track day, and something i’d Be fond of having in the shop. i know about anything can go on the track, so maybe i’m Just chasing my tail in trying to find the right “hybrid”. But phil, you’ve got that 1000DS... thats a neat machine, and is along the lines of what i’m Thinking about.

I see a lot of you have track bikes and/or experience, and since you’re guzzi owners you’re probably also more likely to be like minded for what i’m thinking about.... i’ve Done just a little track riding in the past, and never on a real track bike. Been thinking about picking up a used bike that i can primarily use on the track. But here’s the thing that makes it different than the typical “best track bike” question: i don’t care about “winning”, or having having the fastest bike, and likely won’t Actually do much track riding in reality. That could all change, so the option to bail and just sell the bike, or sell it to upgrade to a more competitive machine is always an option should things develop that way later. But i was thinking about combining the desire for a reasonable occasional-use track bike, with the desire for something thats just fun to have and tinker with, like an older Duc SS, or something along those lines. the “young” Duc848 is what most comes to my mind, but they’re still not super cheap from what i’m Seeing. Wondering how an older 749, 748, or some other SS or similar would be on the track, to just carve some nice turns on a tighter track (less speed, more corners). The Duc would fall into my comfort zone for maintenance, i’ve Had a number of them, and of course i like the sound :-> I loved my ST4, and thought about grabbing an ST4 or ST3 because they’re cheap and have nice power plants, but that long wheelbase made for nice touring but not so great for flicking side to side. curious as to thoughts on what some of you have owned and had on the track, along those lines..... something truly biased toward the track, with some “personality” (= italian), and relatively affordable. Not interested in anything bizarre... yes, a BMW RT can in fact carve a nice turn on the track, but not interested.

Some great pics scud (and the others who have posted!). I spent most of my life feeling the need to get away to distant places to find great riding, while ignoring the back yard. Don’t know why, just did. Then about 10-12 yrs ago finally woke up to the unbelievable riding heaven here in my back yard, the NW and more widely the western US. Time is short with so much work, so took to starting to buy bikes and leave them spread around a bit, making it easier to maximize the free time riding where i wanted to ride (airline there and back, or at least 1-way), and less time on the super slab. I “discovered” some of the magnificent routes you’ve shown some of along the west end, bringing a Gran Canyon back from SoCal a few yrs back. I actually lived in SoCal for a few yrs in 90’s, but there also i was so busy with work and family that i had little clue about what lay around me. Now pretty much every year i ride from the southwest (usually from Goodyear or Tucson AZ where we have some winter maintenance work done for where i work) back to Oregon via a number of the fantastic routes. So many great routes... i just generally outline the time i have, then watch the weather forecasts to see what route might be best, as its usually early shoulder season and hard to say what will happen. Last spring i came up hoping to get over to Death Valley, but wind gusts to 50mph, and then heavy rain up toward the General Sherman and Sierra’s pushed me again to the west, up past Gorman, through Los Padres National forest (excellent), through Paso Robles and that little single lane paved road up toward Hollister, and so on. Always great, and a reminder that i don’t need to be in the Dolomites to find excellent riding! the KTM 990 stays in Alaska for getaway riding up there when i can, and i see there are some fellow DR riders on this thread too.... i favor the DR350 over the 650, with the 441 kit and a hot cam. My own personal preferences, which change with time and age and mood, are that most of the mid-weight bikes that are coming more into vogue again would be ideal if i was younger (i’m not old, just not young any more...), and would tolerate the lack of windscreen and hp when on the tarmac. Now i prefer something with stupid horsepower and handling when on pavement, and something easy to lift when in the dirt. The Multistrada (enduro) is a magnificent road bike, with just enough “dirt” chops to allow it to not mind un-paved roads should they come along, while the DR350 is simple, lightweight, loads of grunt, and with a 6th gear and plates can just get me from trail to trail via some tarmac without too much unpleasantness. But that 701 does sound like a sweet choice for the BDR’s..... hmm, you’ve planted (or “irrigated”) another naughty seed in my brain!

All very good. Not yet seeing something as tedious as the mount bracket on those site, but i’ll Get a schematic and a part number and see if I can drum it up via a search on MGcycle, or one of the others. And just making one will certainly work fine for now, or for long term. update: found one on AF1 site. Just had to scrounge the part number, as nothing seemed to come up under part name. Now will just see how my shop-made one will turn out first...

Thanks all. I’ll try AF1 in Texas later this week when they’d be open, i’ll Try calling later this week the local guzzi place which google says is “closed permanently” (via the same search i always have done to find their number), and footgoose.... thx for the offer, but i’m Just looking for the metal bracket that holds the front brake reservoir. Its the one that fell apart on the maiden voyage from the buyer’s place in OK this fall. On that trip i just grabbed $2 worth of plumbers strapping, and folded it over with some JB weld. Actually looks surprisingly ok as-is, but it ain’t right, so was just looking for the replacement part. i’m going to just bend a little aircraft aluminum to fashion a simple replacement bracket, which should work fine, but probably rather have the real piece at some point. Casual winter pursuit. But the whole thing about the shop showing as permanently closed is the real bummer. We’ll see... Dave, i meant to try and hit one of the local goose club meetings this summer, but summer is of course busy for probably all of us, and certainly thats true on my end with the fire season, so never found time. Will do so hopefully at some point. Plus they seem to always meet on the east side, quite a ways from my cozy (far) west side location. still working on wrapping up some basic maintenance on another bike, and am gathering parts and pieces for when i can start in on the v11, hopefully soon. I sold my 2010 Multistrada and picked up a Multistrada enduro last winter. Got a great deal, but the fellow that had it (and ended up needling to get out from under the payments) did some really goofy stuff to it, which i’m now trying to un-screw. Shouldn’t take long, but i keep finding fun surprises that require more attention... 6gauge wire coiled under seat, running through a 50a fuse block that he wanted to use to run a winch (ya... i know...), and make it even goofier that 6ga had little 14ga connectors, and all sorts of other strange things. Fortunately its all fairly easy to undo, so far. happy holidays all, especially you down under, enjoying summer!

(NW US locals) I seem to be getting behind on current events... i saw that moto intl went away a year or two ago in seattle. Then i ordered a brake reservoir bracket for the v11, and couldn’t get anyone to answer the phone at the portland goose dealer to see why my part was so late in arriving. Yesterday went to call them and google shows them as permanently closed. Hmm. so am guessing my pre-paid part will now be lost to bad fortune (not a big deal, was cheap), but anyone recommend who might be recommended now for a parts source in western US, since i assume i’ll now be needing to have things shipped? Or maybe there’s another guzzi source here in the NW that i don’t know about?

Hey, we all have our own burden to bear! :-> I both pity and envy those with a single bike. The 2nd/other v11 will find its way back to my good friends garage, later in 2020, once he pays for some stuff for his sweet little airplane, and gathers the space in his new house to buy his old v11 back.

Excellent - some good winter reading, just what i was hoping for! That tale of 4 crossovers looks to be an interesting one. On my visits to Agostini’s in Mandello i’ve seen Some very snappy looking pieces, including some what appears to be one-off type mistral exhaust pieces. But I’ve never been in a mode to want to buy something and pack it home, and not really know what i was getting. And touché on the notion of just swapping crossovers on my two bikes. Not ideal this time of year, but maybe i’ll Do that. Or wait till i get through the proper tune on the red one, test ride, then look at doing the swap.

Probably not much point in me asking this at this point, but the cold weather has come, so I’ll allow myself some premature armchair chatter .... i’ve Alluded to it earlier, but now that I have the two 2002 Lemans sitting side by side in the shop, i’m Wondering about the dramatic difference in the low-end vs high-end throttle response between the two. What i’ll Do starting soon, but not till i get time a littler later this winter, is tear into the red one and get a handle on its tune... valves, CO, etc. From there I’ll have a better “apples to apples” baseline to compare the two bikes. but i can’t help but wonder now, from my couch, why the red one has such a smooth and torquey low end but an uninspiring high end, whereas the gold one has a “buzzy”, low torque low end, and then a silky smooth, “scalded monkey” high end. Makes you want to always run Goldie at high rpm, going way too fast and having way too much fun, whereas red is the opposite with that beautiful low end rumble through the gears. i’m tempted to think the mistral crossover on the gold one may be the key factor in the higher rpm punch. Curious as to what others think, but again acknowledging that it’s probably premature to conclude anything until i tear into the red one and check the list of other tuning elements. BTW, they both start and run great. They just have that pronounced difference in their throttle response over the rpm range.

Many thx all! i’ll email Ghezzi then, and see what comes of that. May allow myself the indulgence of some CRG levers, to go along with this winters otherwise mechanical focused work (tune). off to japan in a week and a half to ride a 1250gs around for a while on the South Island of Kyushu. No v11’s for rent were forthcoming.... :->

Know a source for buying them?

Saw that, and may be interested. Just want sure if I’d buy that and which I had the ghezzi-BRIAN unit instead. Looking for thoughts on which one to pursue, stock or the ghezzi, based on effectiveness and price.

Docc, i’ll Leave the lights on in my shop so you can come do your cleaning magic to my machines any time! Just a quick hop over the hills (intercontinental divide... whatever) from your place to mine. I’ve started the fall/winter process of chasing down the loose ends for winter mx. Got the data cables coming, will download guzzidiag, etc., but chewing on what to do about the lack of a rear hugger. Mostly to protect that rear shock. Better to chase down a stock hugger, or go try and find a Ghezzi-brian unit? I see the ghezzi unit on line but haven’t found a source yet to buy them, so don’t even know price. Any hot leads?

anyone know how to find the ghezzi-brian huggers for sale? a quick web search yielded dead-ends so far.

Damn. Was hoping the red wasn’t as “national treasure” elusive as the champagne. Color matching the champagne was more than the two best shops in my town could handle. But i’ll Also check the fingernail paint selection, as all I need is some touch up. If anyone has found a good option, pls post.

I see it’s already touched on here a little in this thread, but is the general trend for folks to replace that u-joint every 10k miles (very roughly 15k kilometers, rounded...)? i would venture a wag that some do, and many don’t, but that’s my question.. Do we have any (or many?) 1st hand accounts of failure? Curious. I saw the notation of guzzi CYA in this thread, which is what I can’t help but wonder. I would say Better safe than sorry, but sometimes the margin of safety can get a bit overblown?

Thx all- did a half assed job of capping/unplugging the lines. Will need to get her home to dig in and do it right, to assure I have properly cleared or capped lines, but think we’re good for now. But no issues running today, other than crappy idling, after 8.5 hrs in the saddle, including some very spirited riding, several hours of freeway droning, and then capped with some lovely stop and go traffic in Salt Lake City when my ass had already had about all it could take. She purrs like a proper italian now at mid range rpm, where she’s living most of the time on this ride. man, the million dollar highway (hwy 550) with only a handful of midweek, off season cars was moto-heaven. When I die, bury me right there. And the run from Ouray over to Moab.... almost as good, and basically no cars for 2 hrs, so that’s pretty much a full house right there. Thank u motorcycle gods for your plentiful bounty...

In Durango, bike running sweet, and many happy smiles/curves behind me. Route 64 between Taos and Chama is not to be missed if in the area, myself only getting to it by accident after missing a turn and not noticing for too long, causing that excellent re-route. still not good idling, and that 3000-ish rpm stumble, and worse than it was a week ago, but as of a week ago she had been mostly sitting for a long time, so thinking the use/miles are getting things stretched and worked, which is good, but likely means a handful of adjustments later.